These are probably the most notable recent examples, but there's more out there. Anyone else want to contribute, to curate the New Protest Song Movement?

Tomorrow, it will go off. Probably. I'm looking after my kids for the weekend and regrettably made the informed decision not to take them to the big London protest, but I'm looking forward to the footage and the songs.

I hope no one minds I talk about a portuguese protest band. Portugal is sending to the Eurovision festival a song from a band that only does protest songs. The song itself may or may not be political, it's up to you to see that, but the fact they were chosen to be in Eurovision says a lot of what goes of people's mind (add that to fact the government walked away 2 days ago). The band is now on their career pinacle which is funny because when they act they make fun of almost everyone, including those who cheer them when they sing during protests.

Well there's the King Blues We are Fucking Angryhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJu647r7MXE

And Captain Ska Liar Liarhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQFwxw57NBI

Has to be said though, the sound of the March yesterday was Dubstep* on the sound systems and drum troupes/ calypso/ bagpipes/ choirs/ Samba /the RMT Brass Band... No punk anywhere but plenty of punks (old and new) in the crowd. It was like a festival complete with a picnic at the end.

*I don't know much about Dubstep as the tracks I've been given by my mates to listen to always sounded too effing slow but it can't have been drum n bass could it? Bloody awesome bass lines anyway.

I am currently trying to put a video together comprised of a few clips I took. I shall post a link here if I ever get past Windoze Movie Maker's little eccentricities.

Iceland has been weird as despite everything that has happened up here, there has been no real groundswell of protest that has emanated from the Music scenes. It's almost as if there has been a stubbornness to continue acting like everything is sitll one big party and a-ok. Quite sad an naive really.

But that was until last week when local singer songwriter Toggi released a free download song titled "Let Them Bleed". It's not too bad actually, a nice melody with some very angry lyrics about the initial protests that happened in 2008. Don't worry it's in English.

Are you just looking for new protest songs, or songs specifically in response to recent events? Because there are bands that have kept the form sharp and at hand for years; the American GOP's anti-working class sentiments and actions are nothing new, just especially violent and aggressive of late. The Street Dogs "Fading American Dream" is as relevant today, if not more, than when it was released. Anti-Flag has some strong examples of the protest song, among others in the various branches of the punk and folk family trees..

I suppose one point that comes into question is: what defines a protest song anyway? As Mike Carey noted above, there are any number of songs that respond to current events in a critical way. But does that make it a protest song? Do people need to adopt a song on their own to make it transcend its author. Or to look at it this way...would 'Blowin in the Wind' or 'We Shall Overcome' still have had any meaning if protest movements hadn't picked up the tune?

That said, here are a couple of favorites of mine over the past few years: